Craig Leathers: Difference between revisions
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==WCW Television Director== |
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{{BLP sources|date=September 2010}} |
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{{Cleanup biography|date=June 2016}} |
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'''Craig Leathers''' was a longtime director and producer of [[World Championship Wrestling]] telecasts. He has worked with [[Eric Bischoff]] for many years during the mid to late 90's. In 1995, Leathers was hired as television director for Turner's [[WCW Monday Nitro]], and later would also become executive producer of the show. |
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'''Craig Leathers''' is a wrestling director and producer best known working for [[World Championship Wrestling]]'s telecasts.<ref name="Solamani">{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/timesdispatch/access/45009654.html?dids=45009654:45009654&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+16,+1999&author=Coveh+Solamani&pub=Richmond+Times+-+Dispatch&desc=BISCHOFF+OUT,+BUSCH+IN+AND+FLAIR,+ONCE+AGAIN,+MAY+BE+THE+MAN&pqatl=google|title=Bischoff out, Busch in and Flair, once again may be the man|last=Solamani|first=Coveh|date=16 September 1999|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]|page=D30|accessdate=7 September 2010}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> He worked with [[Eric Bischoff]] for many years during the mid to late 1990s. In 1995, Leathers was hired as television director for [[Ted Turner]]'s ''[[WCW Monday Nitro]]'', and later became executive producer of the show. |
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==Biography== |
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Nitro brought with it an intense rivalry between WCW's Monday night program and the WWF's Monday Night RAW program. This rivalry is known to wrestling fans as the "Monday Night Wars." Throughout the Monday Night Wars between Eric Bischoff and Vince McMahon, Nitro was gaining on its WWF counterpart popularity-wise. Soon Nitro would surpass RAW in the TV ratings. Leathers lead Monday Nitro into the ratings war and held the highest ratings in cable for 82 consecutive weeks...beating WWF's RAW. |
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''Nitro'' brought an intense rivalry between WCW's Monday night program and the [[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]]'s ''[[WWE Raw|Monday Night Raw]]'' program. This rivalry is known as the "[[Monday Night War]]." Directed by Leathers and produced by Eric Bischoff, ''WCW Nitro'' started surpassing ''Raw'' in the television ratings, and held the highest ratings in cable for 83 consecutive weeks. Bischoff, along with Leathers, Annette Yother, [[Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|Kevin Sullivan]], and [[Terry Taylor]] wrote the majority of the storylines and content for Nitro and WCW pay-per-views.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.geocities.ws/Colosseum/Track/1935/Bischoff.html|title = Eric Bischoff Chat from Prodigy}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | Bischoff and Leathers came up with the idea that many commercial breaks should be taken during live matches. While some fans at the time found it distressing, this gave the matches an unpredictable feeling to the show. Many times ''Nitro'' would go overtime when ratings were high, sometimes even up to 15 minutes past their scheduled timeslot on [[TNT (U.S. TV network)|TNT]]. |
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| ⚫ | When Bischoff was removed from power in September 1999, Leathers would continue to direct the show for the remainder of the year, but with creative restrictions put upon him. With new management in charge, they wanted to change WCW's format to resemble WWF's style of broadcast. Changes in production included tinkering of camera angles, such as the removal of the [[Steadicam]] from the entranceway to be replaced by a standard hand held camera zoomed in from ringside. Although that change in angle may not have been as visually pleasing to some, the new management did so to better emulate the look and feel of WWF's Monday Night program. |
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| ⚫ | A few interesting shots from the 1995-1998 ''Nitro'' telecast include: a stationary camera (with surrounding crowd) high in the rafters giving a wide panning view of the arena - a [[Jib (camera)|JIB camera]] framed on props and pieces of equipment on the set that would boom or [[whip pan]] onto the entranceway - and various [[Steadicam]] shots following wrestlers to the ring. With the JIB and Steadicam both having [[wide-angle lens]]es and in close proximity on the set, there was a high risk of one camera capturing another. Depending on the position of the JIB, Leathers would sometimes have the Steadicam frame a shot on the ground. When cross [[Dissolve (filmmaking)|dissolved]] to the Steadicam, the operator would tilt up and quickly move towards the subject. This would prove to be a stylish wipe sequence between both cameras, and in effect gave the JIB more time to swing out of view. |
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| ⚫ | On the |
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| ⚫ | When Bischoff was removed from power in September 1999, Leathers would continue to direct the show for the remainder of the year, but with creative restrictions put upon him. With new management in charge, they wanted to change WCW's format to resemble WWF (now, WWE)'s style of broadcast. Changes in production included tinkering of camera angles, such as the removal of the [[Steadicam]] from the entranceway to be replaced by a standard hand held camera zoomed in from ringside. Although that change in angle may not have been as visually pleasing to some, the new management did so to better emulate the look and feel of WWF (now, WWE)'s Monday Night program. |
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| ⚫ | On the February 19, 2001 ''Nitro'' broadcast, Leathers resumed position of television director around the time Bischoff regained some control of the company. With WCW up for sale, Bischoff and his investors' deal to purchase the company failed when Turner executives canceled WCW's timeslots. Eventually, WWF(now, WWE) would go on to purchase several assets of WCW in late March 2001, forcing many employees, including Leathers, to be laid off. |
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==Trivia== |
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During a shoot interview on [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|Steve Austin]]'s podcast, [[Kevin Nash]] credits Leathers with developing the [[New World Order (professional wrestling)|NWO]] logo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2c2_J5iW14|title = - YouTube|website = [[YouTube]]}}</ref> |
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* During the nWo takeover episode of Nitro, [[Konnan]] busts into the broadcast truck and harasses the crew members. When Konnan gets to Leathers, he asks him if he is with the nWo or not. Leathers, looking at Konnan incredulously, replies in a reassuring manner, "of course I am". This was an inside joke at the time since Leathers was the one who designed the nWo logo. |
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==References== |
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* After Leathers left WCW in early 2000, the new television director/producer, Keith Mitchell replaced the Nitro graphic that was shown on the [[Jumbotron| Jumbotrons]] with live action from the event. Similar to the display of WWF's huge Jumbotron at the time, a few distracting pitfalls were encountered when people behind the ring were seen looking at the screen, more than watching the action in front of them. When Bischoff and Leathers teamed back up in 2001, Leathers reinstated the Nitro graphic onto the Jumbotron. Despite some fans at the event not having as good a view of the action, it made for better TV since people at ringside paid more attention to the match than to themselves. |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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*Bischoff, E: "Controversy Creates Cash". World Wrestling Entertainment, 2006 |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Leathers, Craig}} |
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[[Category:Living people]] |
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[[Category:American television producers]] |
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[[Category:American television directors]] |
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Latest revision as of 05:40, 28 July 2024
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Craig Leathers is a wrestling director and producer best known working for World Championship Wrestling's telecasts.[1] He worked with Eric Bischoff for many years during the mid to late 1990s. In 1995, Leathers was hired as television director for Ted Turner's WCW Monday Nitro, and later became executive producer of the show.
Biography
[edit]Nitro brought an intense rivalry between WCW's Monday night program and the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw program. This rivalry is known as the "Monday Night War." Directed by Leathers and produced by Eric Bischoff, WCW Nitro started surpassing Raw in the television ratings, and held the highest ratings in cable for 83 consecutive weeks. Bischoff, along with Leathers, Annette Yother, Kevin Sullivan, and Terry Taylor wrote the majority of the storylines and content for Nitro and WCW pay-per-views.[2]
Bischoff and Leathers came up with the idea that many commercial breaks should be taken during live matches. While some fans at the time found it distressing, this gave the matches an unpredictable feeling to the show. Many times Nitro would go overtime when ratings were high, sometimes even up to 15 minutes past their scheduled timeslot on TNT.
A few interesting shots from the 1995-1998 Nitro telecast include: a stationary camera (with surrounding crowd) high in the rafters giving a wide panning view of the arena - a JIB camera framed on props and pieces of equipment on the set that would boom or whip pan onto the entranceway - and various Steadicam shots following wrestlers to the ring. With the JIB and Steadicam both having wide-angle lenses and in close proximity on the set, there was a high risk of one camera capturing another. Depending on the position of the JIB, Leathers would sometimes have the Steadicam frame a shot on the ground. When cross dissolved to the Steadicam, the operator would tilt up and quickly move towards the subject. This would prove to be a stylish wipe sequence between both cameras, and in effect gave the JIB more time to swing out of view.
When Bischoff was removed from power in September 1999, Leathers would continue to direct the show for the remainder of the year, but with creative restrictions put upon him. With new management in charge, they wanted to change WCW's format to resemble WWF (now, WWE)'s style of broadcast. Changes in production included tinkering of camera angles, such as the removal of the Steadicam from the entranceway to be replaced by a standard hand held camera zoomed in from ringside. Although that change in angle may not have been as visually pleasing to some, the new management did so to better emulate the look and feel of WWF (now, WWE)'s Monday Night program.
On the February 19, 2001 Nitro broadcast, Leathers resumed position of television director around the time Bischoff regained some control of the company. With WCW up for sale, Bischoff and his investors' deal to purchase the company failed when Turner executives canceled WCW's timeslots. Eventually, WWF(now, WWE) would go on to purchase several assets of WCW in late March 2001, forcing many employees, including Leathers, to be laid off.
During a shoot interview on Steve Austin's podcast, Kevin Nash credits Leathers with developing the NWO logo.[3]
World Wrestling Legends
[edit]In 2006, Leathers produced World Wrestling Legends, a tribute to the WCW Saturday Night program that included well-known wrestlers and a few original crew members from the show.
References
[edit]- ^ Solamani, Coveh (16 September 1999). "Bischoff out, Busch in and Flair, once again may be the man". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. D30. Retrieved 7 September 2010.[dead link]
- ^ "Eric Bischoff Chat from Prodigy".
- ^ "- YouTube". YouTube.
External links
[edit]- Bischoff, E: "Controversy Creates Cash". World Wrestling Entertainment, 2006